Research Centres/Laboratories

Research Centres

Research activities  include development in structural analysis and design; coastal and oceanographic processes; coastal and offshore structures; hydrology and water resources; transportation; public works; infrastructure materials and pavements; construction engineering and engineering management; geotechnical engineering; and geosensing systems engineering. Civil engineers have always been pioneers in testing adapting and using advances in technology. Civil engineers apply computers, robotics, lasers, satellite imaging, remoate sensing, new materials and other developments to every aspect of their work .

The following work groups have been formed in the department for conducting research 

1. Structural Engineering
      Er. Jisha Balakrishnan
      Er. Gisha Mary Mathew
      Er. Milu Mary Jacob
      Er. Vincy Koshy
      Er. Joseph Wilfred
      Er. Chitra S Nair
2. Transportation Engineering
      Er. C K Cherian
      Er. Susan Rose
3. Geotechnical Engineering
      Dr. P. G. Bhaskaran Nair
      Prof. Hari G
      Er. Sreekumari T. K
      Er. Dipty Sarin Isaac
      Er. Damu D
4. Environmental Engineering
      Er. Swapna Thomas
      Er. Reshma Kasim
5. Water Resource Engineering
      Dr. M.C Philipose

Laboratories

Environmental Engineering Laboratory  

There is Environmental Engineering Laboratory classes for S8 Civil Engineering students. The experiments consist of water and air quality analysis. There are titrimetry experiments and experiments using equipments / instruments. Different laboratory experiments conducted in the laboratory are

• Conductivity
• Chemical Oxygen Demand

• Determination of solids - total, suspended, dissolved , volatile , fixed settleable
• pH value
• D. O and Biochemical Oxygen Demand
• Jar test and Turbidity
• Chlorine demand and Residual Chlorine
• Determination of Iron
• Determination of Sulphates
• Acidity and Alkalinity
• Hardness
• Nitrogen - Various compounds
• M. P. N. Fecal coliforms using A-1 medium
• Measurement of smoke density for diesel vehicle
• Measurement of HC and CO of exhaust from petrol driven vehicle
• Measurement of suspended particulate matter in ambient air

The different equipments / instruments available in Environmental Engineering UG laboratory are

• SYSTRONICS model 169 micro controller based Spectrophotometer  with two position sample holder, wave length range 320- 990 nm and accuracy +/- 2nm band width 5nm , 4 Digital LED DISPLAY
• SYS 371 Water Analyser (Colorimeter, D. O, Conductivity. TDS, pH, Salinity, temperature)
• KEMI INCUBATOR fitted with double wall chambers inner made of stainless steel and outer made of MS sheet, 2  ½ inch thick glass wool installation. Temperature is to a maximum of 110 o C with an accuracy of +/- 1 o C and working temperature of 5 o C above ambient to 80o C.
• KEMI HOTPLATE - ROUND 20cm diameter  with energy regulator
• KEMI WATERBATH rectangular. Fitted with thermostat of 30oC  to 110oC with an accuracy of +/- 1oC and working temperature from 5oc and above ambient to 80o C.
• KEMI HOT AIR OVEN - Double wall chamber inner made of Aluminum and outer of MS sheet, 2  ½ inch thick glass wool insulation. Temperature is controlled by digital temperature controller cum indicator to a maximum of 250oC  with an accuracy of +/-1oC.
• KEMI BOD Incubator 6 cft capacity inner chamber made of S/S and MS powder coated with digital temperature controller temperature 5o C to 60o C
• SYSTRONICS pH meter 0-14 pH digital type with combined electrode model 82.
• SYSTRONICS Nephlo/ Turbidity meter digital type model 132
• SYSTRONICS Digital Conductivity meter digital model type 30 &
• Glasswares

Geotechnical Laboratory

The Geotechnical Lab of Civil Engineering Department is well equipped with latest testing facilities for determination of strength and compressibility characteristics of soils. Apparatus are

• Triaxial
• Consolidation
• Unconfined compression test apparatus
• Direct shear
• Vane shear apparatus
• Permeability apparatus
• Hydrometer Analysis
• Pippete Analysis
• Atterberg Limits apparatus
• Compaction apparatus
• Field Density Apparatus (Core cutter and sand replacement Method)
• Pycnometer
• Sieve Analysis

Strength of Materials Laboratory

In this laboratory, the parameters required for the design of the structure using various materials is determined as well as testing of the materials to check whether it conforms to the required standards or design requirements. The major equipments are 

• Universal testing machine (U.T.M.)
  U.T.M. is intended to test materials under various loading conditions which generate tension, compression, flexure and shear on the material. Maximum capacity of the machine is 100 tones. Some of the properties of the materials found from this machine are yield stress of steel, modulus of elasticity of steel, shear strength of steel in double shear, flexural strength of steel, wood and concrete etc.
• Torsion testing machine
  Torsion testing machine is used to test the strength of materials in bending about its longitudinal axis thereby causing twist on the material.
• Spring testing machine.
  This is used to determine the modulus of rigidity of the material especially, steel.
• Fatigue testing machine
  For mild steel, there exists a limit of stress at which the material will not fail under fatigue loading. ie., the material will be subjected to cyclic compressive and tensile stresses. This machine is intended to find this limit for the stress.
• Hardness testing machines
  There are indirect methods to determine the strength and other engineering properties of materials. Under a constant load, the diameter of indentation made on the surface of a material depends on the toughness of the material (Toughness is the ability to absorb energy). This is expressed in non-dimensional terms such as hardness number. Equipments for determining this hardness which are available in the laboratory are Brinell hardness testing  machine (maximum load which can be applied is 300 kg-f), Vicat's hardness tester and Rockwell hardness tester.
• Torsion pendulum
  This is used to determine the modulus of elasticity of material. The underlying principle is the oscillatory motion induced on the circular disc attached to a string is a function of the modulus of rigidity of the material of the wire.

   

Transportation Laboratory

The Transportation Engineering Laboratory came into existence in October 2007. The laboratory is equipped with facilities for conducting experiments on materials and bituminous mixes.
The various experiments that can be conducted are:

• Marshall Stability Test
• California Bearing Ratio Test
• Centrifuge Bitumen Extractor
• Bitumen Testing
  • Penetration Test
  • Softening Point Test
  • Ductility Test
  • Flash and Fire Point Test
  • Viscosity Test
• Aggregate Testing
  • Los Angeles Abrasion Test
  • Aggregate Impact Test
  • Aggregate Crushing Test

Concrete Laboratory

The major equipments are

• Permeability apparatus for cubes and cylinders
• Accelerated Curing Tank
• Cement Autoclave-2
• Hot Air Oven- max temp 250  ° C
• Hot Air Oven
• Cement mortar vibrating machine
• Cement mortar mixing machine
• Vicat- Needle apparatus
• Cylinder, Cube and Beam moulds
• Test Sieves
• Sieve Shaker
• Concrete workability apparatus
• VB apparatus
• Compaction factor apparatus
• Slump cone
• Los Angeles Abrasion Tester
• Devel Attrition Testing Machine
• Impact Testing Machine
• Aggregate crushing apparatus
• Pre- Stressing Systems
• Flow table
• Needle vibrator
• Screed Vibrator
• Vibration table for concrete
• Concrete Test Hammer